Is a pistol grip shifter a good choice for power shifting/drag racing?
Now you say
That’s what I mean. The handle can be 5 feet or 5 inches long. It won’t make you a better or worse shifter. And those short throw, short sick shifters are actually harder to shift.
but you said;
The length of the shifter handle has no effect on how fast you can shift. In fact, a short throw shifter is harder to shift.
which is why I wrote;
Not sure if what you wrote is what you mean.
You kindof made my point.
I've always been a "good shifter", but now, I'm also lightning quick.
While I won't argue that reducing the lever ratio, won't increase the effort; that is the physics of if levers. But the fact is that the factory ratio was already excessive. It was designed that way, so that the ball would come up over the bench. I don't have a bench. I've never even seen a 68/69 Barracuda that had one. Not saying they don't exist.
But;
What little extra effort my short stick might take, is made up for by me eating my Wheaties every morning, and so on. I find the new position actually easier......
Many people complain about how hard the A833 is to shift. But it doesn't have to be that way. The blockers are more than adequately sized for the job. You just gotta make it so they can actually do their jobs. Then it becomes a lovable transmission.
In reality, my blockers worked too good, and I had to reduce the bite just a bit.
Getting back to the Pistol-grip in an A-body, and to the OP;
Install one and see how you like it. It's very hard to argue against opinion. A guy just likes what he likes.
As for me and Pistol Grips; not a chance would I ever install one in my Barracuda; not even if I had it given to me. My opinions are;
1) that it is out of scale for an A-body
2) it has an awkward fixed grip
3) it has no flexibility in useage under various conditions
4) it gets stinking COLD
5) it gets too close to the dash and too far away in Third gear
6) You more or less have to have buckets to get Second gear, and a passenger to get the trans into Fourth for you
7) the shift throw is like for a semi-tractor or a grain-truck
8) it is heavy, and bolted onto the trans, so if your engine has a vibration, so will the trans and the handle. I hate it when they buzz or rattle
9) it is too tempting to "fondle"; the shifter is Not an armrest.
10) did I mention how cold it feels as the summer season wanes?
These are my opinions;
I may have exaggerated, just a lil, a time or two..........
